The 2018 installment of ISTAT EMEA, held 23–25 September, found the event returning to Prague for the third time — first in 2008 and again in 2015 — for several days of networking, meetings, education, discussion, presentations and fun, as delegates congregated at the event's official host property, the Hilton Prague.

Before the panel discussions began, ISTAT President Doug Runte, managing director and head of aviation research, Deutsche Bank, welcomed delegates to the Congress Hall in the Hilton Prague's lower level, noting that attendance at ISTAT EMEA (1,600 plus) now roughly equals ISTAT's total membership in 2007, and that ISTAT membership continues to climb, with the society boasting more than 5,130 members at present.

Overall, the sentiment from panelists throughout the event was that the industry remains healthy and growing but there are signs of caution. During his keynote address, Conor McCarthy, managing director and project oversight, PlaneConsult, detailed the myriad changes in the industry during his 40-year career. "We have come through a dramatic revolution in our industry," he observed. "But, we've already grabbed a lot of the low-hanging fruit. The next steps for growth and evolution are going to be more of a challenge. I've given up trying to forecast what's going to happen, though. Instead, I'd advise anyone to position yourself in the best possible place to weather any potential downturn. It's a broad piece of advice, but there's simply no way to predict what's around the bend."

Panel discussions covered a wide range of big-picture topics, including Brexit, a potential pilot shortage, fleet planning strategies, and a host of other areas. And delegates were offered numerous networking opportunities in any one of the designated meeting spaces and events. The event closed out in style with the Cocktail Reception & Networking Dinner at the Prague Municipal House, followed by the After Party at the Hilton's Cloud9 Sky Bar.

ISTAT extends a sincere and heartfelt thank you to everyone who attended or participated in ISTAT EMEA —especially the sponsors for their generous contributions, which help keep member costs low and value high.

Look for more ISTAT EMEA coverage in the winter edition of Jetrader.

Presentations and photos from ISTAT EMEA are now available via the ISTAT mobile app (for all event attendees) and the ISTAT website. Please make plans to join us next year for ISTAT EMEA in Berlin.

The 2018 ISTAT Holiday Receptions are coming up soon! On 5 December, ISTAT members will convene in one of seven locations: Dublin, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Tokyo and brand new location Shanghai. Members will meet at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, The Banking Hall in London, Ocean & Vine in the Loews Santa Monica in Los Angeles, the Portico at the Diplomat Hotel in Miami, St. Bartholomew's Church in New York, and the Fish Bank Tokyo in Tokyo. The Shanghai venue will be announced soon. Please join us as we close out another successful year and look ahead to new opportunities. Click here to register.

The agenda for the upcoming ISTAT Latin America Forum, held 14–15 November in Lima, features key players in the Latin American aviation industry, including representatives from legacy and low-cost carriers, lessors, financiers and manufacturers. A number of airline attendees will be in attendance, including representatives from Avianca, Avior Airlines, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Copa Airlines, SKY Airline, and VIVA Airlines Peru S.A.C.

This year, the Foundation awarded $95,000 to 13 charities in support of aviation-related humanitarian efforts worldwide. In addition, the Foundation provided a $100,000 grant to Airlink in support of their mission.

Is your company searching for qualified interns? Register your open positions on the ISTAT Foundation Internship Portal today!

In 2018, the ISTAT Foundation Internship Program placed a record 17 aviation-focused university students in positions at ISTAT member companies. The ISTAT Foundation’s Internship Program acts as an intermediary between ISTAT member companies and students seeking aviation internships. Through the use of a web portal, qualified students and employers are able to match the right skills, background and interests with corporate internships. Placed interns who qualify will receive a stipend from the Foundation to cover qualified housing and travel expenses of up to $2,500. Learn more about ISTAT internships.

Interest in the ISTAT Appraisers’ Program remains strong. At ISTAT EMEA in Prague, there were six first-timers sitting for the set of four exams required to become an ISTAT Certified Appraiser, with one other retaking a single exam. There was also one Appraiser sitting for the exam to become an ISTAT Certified Senior Appraiser.

Appraiser candidates and ISTAT Certified Appraisers visited EFW’s passenger to freighter conversion facility in Dresden, which was held in conjunction with ISTAT EMEA in Prague. Attendees were able to explore both the upper and lower decks of an A330 in the process of being converted and to discuss the modifications with members of the EFW team.

"ISTAT Appraising – An Introduction," the program for those interested in the practice of appraising or who would just like to know more about appraisals and what they mean in general, was well attended with 50 attendees on hand during ISTAT EMEA in Prague. Thanks to ISTAT Certified Senior Appraiser David Tokoph of mba and Mark Calver of Aergen for acting as instructors.

If you were unable to attend, the next overview will be given at ISTAT Americas in March 2019.

As engine experts and world leader in independent engine services, we focus on maximizing your earnings and optimizing costs during the lifecycle of the engine and beyond. With decades of experience we offer tailored solutions emcompassing innovative MRO services, integrated leasing and best-of-breed asset management. There is always a better solution for your engines. MTU has it.

Jetrader recently spoke with Boeing Capital Corporation President Tim Myers, a frequent ISTAT panelist, about a wide range of topics, including his take on the current state of industry financing options, Boeing's thoughts on the future of AFIC, and a range of other topics.

When expanding on his perspective on the industry's overall health, Myers stated that "broadly speaking, from our perspective there's pretty balanced global demand. For the first time in years, we're seeing economies grow pretty much all around the globe. It's synchornized growth and provides more stimulus for global air travel."

Click here to read the interview, and be sure to explore the rest of the issue, as well.

Advertising space is now available in the winter 2018 issue of Jetrader magazine. This issue will feature a full recap of ISTAT EMEA in Prague, as well as the latest installment in the Aviation Insights interview series, appraisals, ISTAT Foundation activity and aviation history, in addition to a host of timely and useful content created specifically for ISTAT's diverse membership.

In recent research on overall industry activity by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), the report cited robust projections on air travel growth, including observations that aviation supports 65.5 million jobs and $2.7 trillion USD in global economic activity.

Following an August commercial settlement agreement between CFMI and the International Aircraft Transport Association (IATA), the industry continues to grapple with the settlement's proposed impact, though it's predicted that lessors will follow the lead of airlines and regulators.